This section contains information and links concerning some of the most common problems for which people seek psychological assistance.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common of all the mental disorders. Everybody knows what it’s like to feel anxious — butterflies in the stomach before an important event, the tension you feel when your boss is angry, the way your heart pounds if you’re in danger. Anxiety rouses you to action. It gears you up to face a threatening situation. It makes you study harder for that exam and keeps you on your toes when you’re making a speech. In general, it helps you cope.

But if you have an anxiety disorder, this normally helpful emotion can do just the opposite. It can keep you from coping and can disrupt your daily life. Anxiety disorders aren’t just a case of “nerves”. They are illnesses, often related to the biological makeup and life experiences of the individual, and they frequently run in families. There are several types of anxiety disorder, each with its own distinct features.

At gmPsychologists, we help people to cope with anxiety and to prevent future episodes of anxiety. In most cases, treatment involves assistance with developing more useful coping responses, which help in handling the experience of anxiety. In addition, once anxiety-management skills have been developed, there may be graduated exposure to the situations that trigger anxious feelings, in a controlled fashion, while making use of new coping strategies. We help anxious individuals not to feel overwhelmed and to acquire skills that help to reduce the feelings of panic and loss of control.

For a good deal more information on anxiety, please explore the links on this page.

If you have additional questions or would like to book an appointment with one of our psychologists, please call us at 492-2546 or email us.